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Grace Kelly
| birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA | death_date = | death_place = Monaco | place of burial = Monaco Cathedral | occupation = Actress | religion = Roman Catholicism | signature = Grace Kelly Signature.png }} Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 September 14, 1982) was an American film actress who, after marrying Prince Rainier III became known as the Princess of Monaco. After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of 20, Grace Kelly appeared in New York City theatrical productions and more than 40 episodes of live drama productions broadcast during the early 1950s Golden Age of Television. In October 1953, Grace gained stardom from her performance in the film Mogambo. This film won her a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination in 1954. She then had leading roles in five films, including The Country Girl, in which she gave a deglamorized, Academy Award–winning performance. She retired from acting at the age of 26 to marry Prince Rainier and begin her duties in Monaco. The couple had three children: Caroline, Albert, and Stéphanie. Grace Kelly died on September 14, 1982, a day after a stroke caused her to lose control of her car and drive off a cliff. Early Life Background & Birth :See Kelly family Grace Kelly was born November 12, 1929 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She came from an affluent family, of half Irish and half German descent. Her father, John Brendan "Jack" Kelly (1889-1960), won three Olympic gold medals for sculler. Grace's mother, Margaret Katherine Majer (1898–1990), taught physical education at the University of Pennsylvania and was the first female to coach women's athletics teams at the institution. Grace had two older siblings, Margaret (1925-1991) and John Brendan, Jr. (1927-1985), and a younger sister named Elizabeth (1933-2009). They were raised to be Catholic. Education While attending Ravenhill Academy, a prestigious Catholic girls' school, Kelly modeled fashions at local social events with her mother and sisters. In 1942, at the age of twelve, she played the lead in Don't Feed the Animals, a play produced by the East Falls Old Academy Players. Before graduating in May 1947 from Stevens School, a socially prominent private institution on Walnut Lane in the Northwest Philadelphia neighborhood of Germantown, she acted and danced. Her graduation yearbook listed her favorite actress as Ingrid Bergman and her favorite actor as Joseph Cotten. Written in the "Stevens' Prophecy" section was: "Miss Grace P. Kelly – a famous star of stage and screen." Owing to her low mathematics scores, Kelly was rejected by Bennington College in July 1947. Career :See Film career of Grace Kelly Early years Despite her parents' disapproval, Kelly decided to pursue her dreams of being an actress. Her father was particularly displeased with Grace's decision; he viewed acting as "a slim cut above streetwalker." To start her career, she tried to get admitted into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. In her audition, she used a scene from her uncle's 1923 play The Torch-Bearers. Although the school had already met its semester quota, Kelly obtained an interview with the school's admission officer, Emile Diestel, and was admitted through the influence of her uncle George. Kelly began her first term the following October. While at school, she lived in Manhattan's Barbizon Hotel for Women, a prestigious establishment which barred men from entering after 10 pm, and she worked as a model to support her studies. She worked diligently and practiced her speech by using a tape-recorder. Her early acting pursuits led her to the stage, most notably a Broadway debut in Strindberg's The Father alongside Raymond Massey. At 19, her graduation performance was as Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story. Television producer Delbert Mann cast Kelly as Bethel Merriday, in an adaptation of the Sinclair Lewis novel of the same name; this was her first of nearly sixty live television programs. Success on television eventually brought her a role in a major motion picture. Kelly made her film debut in a small role in the 1951 film Fourteen Hours. She was noticed during a visit to the set by Gary Cooper, who subsequently starred with her in High Noon. Cooper was charmed by Kelly and said that she was "different from all these actresses we've been seeing so much of." However, her performance in Fourteen Hours was not noticed by critics and did not lead to her receiving other film acting roles. She continued her work in the theater and on television, although she lacked "vocal horsepower" and would likely not have had a lengthy stage career. She had various roles on television shows produced by NBC and CBS. Kelly was performing in Colorado's Elitch Gardens when she received a telegram from Hollywood producer Stanley Kramer offering her a co-starring role opposite Gary Cooper in High Noon. Acting career for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Director John Ford had first noticed Kelly in a 1950 screen test. The studio flew Kelly to Los Angeles to audition in September of 1952, and Ford said that Kelly showed "breeding, quality and class." She was hired for the role and was offered a seven-year contract with a salary of $850 a week. Kelly signed the deal under two conditions: The first being that every two years she could get time off to do theater performances, and second, that she could live in New York City at the now-landmarked Manhattan House (200 E. 66th Street). Two months after signing her contract, Kelly and the cast arrived in Nairobi to begin production of the film ''Mogambo. Upon getting the role as Linda Nordley, Kelly told Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper, "Mogambo had three things that interested me. John Ford, Clark Gable, and a trip to Africa with expenses paid. If Mogambo had been made in Arizona, I wouldn't have done it." Kelly's role garnered her a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. After the success of Mogambo, Kelly starred in a TV play The Way of an Eagle with Jean-Pierre Aumont, before being cast in the film adaptation of Frederick Knott's Broadway hit Dial M for Murder. Director Alfred Hitchcock also saw the 1950 screen test and took full advantage of Kelly's beauty on-camera. Hitchcock was one of Kelly's last mentors in the film industry. Kelly began filming scenes for her next film The Bridges at Toko-Ri in January 1954 with William Holden. She played the role of Nancy, the wife of naval officer Harry (Holden), who was a minor but pivotal character in the story. A film review that was released 12 months later, the The New Yorker remarked on the apparent on-screen chemistry between Kelly and Holden, and took note of Kelly's delivery of her performance "with quiet confidence." Kelly unhesitatingly turned down the opportunity to star alongside Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront. Eva Marie Saint, who replaced Kelly, won an Academy Award for that role. Kelly committed instead to the role of Lisa Fremont in Rear Window. Said Kelly, "All through the making of Dial M for Murder, he Hitchcock sat and talked to me about Rear Window all the time, even before we had discussed my being in it." Kelly's new co-star, James Stewart, was highly enthusiastic about working with her. The role of Lisa Fremont, a wealthy Manhattan socialite and model, was unlike any of the previous women Kelly had played. For the very first time, she portrayed an independent, career-driven woman. Stewart played a speculative photographer with a broken leg, bound to a wheelchair and so reduced to curiously observing the happenings outside his window. Just as he had done earlier, Hitchcock provided the camera with a slow-sequenced silhouette of Kelly, along with a close-up of the two stars kissing, and finally lingering closely on her profile. With the film's opening in October 1954, Kelly was again praised. Variety's film critic remarked on the casting, commenting on the "earthy quality to the relationship between Stewart and Miss Kelly. Both do a fine job of the picture's acting demands." Kelly won the role of Bing Crosby's long-suffering wife, Georgie Elgin, in The Country Girl, after a pregnant Jennifer Jones bowed out. Already familiar with the play, Kelly was highly interested in the part. To do so, MGM would have to lend Kelly out to Paramount. Kelly was adamant, and threatened the studio that if they did not allow her to do it she would pack her bags and leave for New York for good. MGM relented, and the part was hers. The film also paired Kelly again with William Holden. As a result of her performance in The Country Girl, Kelly was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her main competitor for the prize was Judy Garland, in her much heralded come-back performance in A Star Is Born, playing not only the part of an up-and-coming actress-singer, but also, ironically, the wife of an alcoholic movie star. Although Kelly won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for best actress for her performances in her three big movie roles of 1954, Rear Window, Dial M For Murder and The Country Girl, she and Garland both received Golden Globe Awards for their respective performances. By the following March, the race between Kelly and Garland for the Oscar was very close. On March 30, 1955, the night of the Academy Awards telecast, Garland was unable to attend because she was in the hospital having just given birth to her son, Joseph Luft. However, she was rumored to be the odds-on favorite, and NBC Television cameras were set up in her hospital room so that if she was announced as the winner, Garland could make her acceptance speech live from her hospital bed. However, when William Holden announced Kelly as the winner, the technicians immediately dismantled the cameras without saying one word to Garland. In April 1954, Kelly flew to Colombia for a ten-day shoot on her next project, Green Fire, with Stewart Granger. Kelly played Catherine Knowland, a coffee plantation owner. In Granger's autobiography he writes of his distaste for the film's script, while Kelly later confided to Hedda Hopper, "It wasn't pleasant. We worked at a pathetic village – miserable huts and dirty. Part of the crew got shipwrecked … It was awful." Green Fire was a critical and box-office failure but made a small profit of $840,000. After the consecutive filming of Rear Window, Toko-Ri, Country Girl, and Green Fire, Kelly flew to France, along with department store heir Bernard "Barney" Strauss, to begin work on her third and last film for Alfred Hitchcock, To Catch a Thief. Kelly and her co-star, Cary Grant, developed a mutual admiration. The two cherished their time together for the rest of their lives. Years later, when asked to name his all-time favorite actress, Grant replied without hesitation, "Well, with all due respect to dear Ingrid Bergman, I much preferred Grace. She had serenity." Screen Credits :See Grace Kelly filmography Listed below are Grace Kelly's motion picture credits. Filmography Honors Discography *"True Love", a duet with Bing Crosby from High Society (1956) *''L'Oiseau du Nord et L'Oiseau du Soleil'', in French and in English (1978) *''Birds, Beasts & Flowers: A Programme of Poetry, Prose and Music'' (1980) Personal Life Kelly headed the U.S. delegation at the Cannes Film Festival in April 1955. While there, she was invited to participate in a photo session at the Palace of Monaco with Prince Rainier III, the sovereign of the principality. After a series of delays and complications, Kelly met the prince in Monaco. At the time of her initial meeting with Rainier, Kelly was dating the French actor Jean-Pierre Aumont. Upon returning to America, Kelly began work on The Swan, in which she coincidentally portrayed a princess, and she meanwhile began a private correspondence with Rainier. Engagement In December 1955, Rainier came to America on a trip officially designated as a tour, although it was speculated that Rainier was actively seeking a wife. A treaty with France in 1918 had stated that if Rainier did not produce an heir, Monaco would revert to France; this was as a result of the Monaco succession crisis of 1918. At a press conference in the U.S., Rainier was asked if he was pursuing a wife, to which he answered, "No." Then a second question was posed: "If you were pursuing a wife, what kind would you like?" Rainier smiled and answered, "I don't know – the best." Rainier met Kelly and her family, and after three days, the prince proposed. Kelly accepted and the families began preparing for what the press called "The Wedding of the Century." Kelly and her family had to provide Prince Rainier with a dowry of $2 million in order for the marriage to go ahead. That same year MGM released Kelly's last film, the musical comedy High Society, which was based on the studio's 1940 comedy The Philadelphia Story. She wore her own engagement ring in the film and one of the film's highlight was Kelly's duet with Bing Crosby, "True Love," a song with words and music by Cole Porter. News of the engagement was a sensation, even though it meant a possible end to Kelly's film career. Alfred Hitchcock quipped that he was "very happy that Grace has found herself such a good part." Wedding :Wedding of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and Grace Kelly The religious wedding was set for April 19, 1956. Preparations for the wedding were elaborate, with the Palace of Monaco repainted and redecorated throughout. On April 4, 1956, leaving from Pier 84 in New York Harbor, Kelly, with her family, bridesmaids, poodle, and over eighty pieces of luggage, boarded the ocean liner SS Constitution for the French Riviera. Some 400 reporters applied to sail, although most were turned away. Thousands of fans sent the party off for the eight-day voyage, and in Monaco, more than 20,000 people lined the streets to greet the future princess consort. To fulfill the requirements of the Napoleonic Code of Monaco and the laws of the Roman Catholic Church, Kelly and Rainier had both civil and religious weddings. The 16-minute civil ceremony took place in the Palace Throne Room of Monaco on April 18, 1956, and a reception later in the day was attended by 3,000 Monaco citizens. To cap the ceremony, the 142 official titles that Kelly acquired in the union (counterparts of Rainier's) were formally recited. The following day the church ceremony took place at Monaco's Saint Nicholas Cathedral, before Monaco's Bishop Gilles Barthe. The wedding was estimated to have been watched by over 30 million viewers on live television, and was described by biographer Robert Lacy as "the first modern event to generate media overkill." Kelly's wedding dress, designed by MGM's Academy Award–winning Helen Rose, was worked on for six weeks by three dozen seamstresses. The 700 guests included quite a number of famous people, including Aristotle Onassis, Cary Grant, David Niven, Gloria Swanson, and Ava Gardner. Frank Sinatra initially accepted an invitation, and went to London to equip himself with finery, but later decided against attending, reportedly to avoid upstaging the wedding couple. The prince and princess left that night for their seven-week Mediterranean honeymoon cruise on Rainier's yacht, Deo Juvante II. Children The couple had three children: *Princess Caroline, born January 23, 1957, nine months and four days after the wedding of her parents *Prince Albert, born March 14, 1958, current ruler of Monaco *Princess Stéphanie, born February 1, 1965 Royal Life Hitchcock offered Kelly the lead in his film Marnie in 1962. She was eager, but public outcry in Monaco against her involvement in a film that portrayed her as a kleptomaniac made her reconsider and ultimately reject the project. Director Herbert Ross attempted to lure Kelly into accepting a part in his 1977 film The Turning Point, but Prince Rainier quashed the idea. Later that year, Kelly returned to the arts in a series of poetry readings on stage and narration of the documentary The Children of Theater Street. She also narrated ABC's made-for-television film The Poppy Is Also a Flower (1966). Philanthropy Since Grace was unable to continue acting after her marriage, she involved herself in many philanthropic organizations. Kelly founded AMADE Mondiale, a Monaco-based non-profit organization that was eventually recognized by the UN as a Non-Governmental organization. According to UNESCO's website, AMADE promotes and protects the "moral and physical integrity" and "spiritual well-being of children throughout the world, without distinction of race, nationality or religion and in a spirit of complete political independence." Her daughter Princess Caroline carries the torch for AMADE today in her role as President. Grace was also active in improving the arts institutions of Monaco, and eventually the Princess Grace Foundation was formed in 1964 to support local artisans. In 1983 following Kelly's death, Princess Caroline assumed the duties of President of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation. Prince Albert is Vice-President. Following her death, the Princess Grace Foundation-USA (PGF-USA) was established to continue the work that she had done, anonymously, during her lifetime, assisting emerging theater, dance and film artists in America. Incorporated in 1982, PGF-USA is headquartered in New York and is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit, publicly supported organization. The Princess Grace Awards, a program of the Princess Grace Foundation-USA, has awarded nearly 500 artists at more than 100 institutions in the U.S. with more than $7 million to date. The foundation also says it "holds the exclusive rights and facilitates the licensing of Princess Grace of Monaco's name and likeness throughout the world." In addition, she was one of the first celebrities to support and speak on behalf of La Leche League, an organization that advocates breastfeeding. She also planned a yearly Christmas party for local orphans and dedicated a Garden Club. Kelly was inaugurated into the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1960. Death On September 13, 1982, Grace Kelly was driving back to Monaco from her country home in Roc Agel when she suddenly suffered from a stroke. As a result, she lost control of her Rover P6 and drove off the steep, winding road and down the 120 ft mountainside. Her daughter Stéphanie, who was in the passenger seat, tried to regain control of the car, but was unsuccessful. When paramedics arrived at the crash site ( ), Grace was alive but unconscious. Grace and Stephanie were transported to the Monaco Hospital (later named The Princess Grace Hospital Centre). Doctors tried to stop her internal bleeding during surgery and performed CAT scans to diagnose her brain damage. Despite their efforts, her head injuries – in addition to her fractured ribs, collarbone, and thigh – were irreparable. Doctor's believed that she had suffered a minor stroke prior to the crash, which made her more susceptible to another. The following night at 10:55pm, Grace passed away at the age of 52 after Prince Rainier made the difficult decision to take her off life support. Stephanie's original diagnosis was mild, with only minor bruising and a light concussion. However, after receiving x-ray results, she was found to have suffered a hairline fracture on the seventh cervical vertebra. She was unable to attend Grace's funeral due to her injuries. Funeral :Funeral of Grace Kelly Grace's funeral was held at the Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco on September 18, 1982. After a Requiem Mass, she was buried in the Grimaldi family vault. Over 400 guests attended the funeral, including First Lady Nancy Reagan, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Cary Grant. At the funeral, James Stewart delivered the following eulogy: Prince Rainier, who did not remarry, was buried alongside her following his death in 2005. Legacy Style & Fashion While pregnant with her daughter Caroline in 1956, Kelly was frequently photographed clutching a distinctive leather hand-bag manufactured by Hermès. The purse, or Sac à dépêches, was likely a shield to prevent Kelly's pregnancy from being exposed to the prying eyes of the paparazzi. The photographs, however, popularized the purse and became so closely associated with the fashion icon that the purse would thereafter be known as the Kelly Bag. In 1955, Kelly was photographed by Howell Conant in Jamaica. He photographed her without makeup in a naturalistic setting, a departure from the traditional portrayal of actresses. The resulting photographs were published in Collier's magazine, with a celebrated photo of Kelly rising from the water with wet hair making the cover. Following her marriage, Conant was the unofficial photographer to the House of Grimaldi and extensively photographed Kelly, her husband, and their three children. In 1992, Conant published Grace, a book of photographs that he took during Kelly's 26-year reign as Princess of Monaco. Numerous exhibitions have been held of Kelly's life and clothing. The Philadelphia Museum of Art presented Kelly's wedding dress in a 2006 exhibition to mark the 50th anniversary of her marriage, and a retrospective of her wardrobe was held at London's Victoria and Albert Museum in 2010. The V&A exhibition continued in Australia at the Bendigo Art Gallery in 2012. This famous dress, seen around the world, took thirty five tailors six weeks to complete. An exhibition of Kelly's life as Princess of Monaco was held at the Ekaterina Cultural Foundation in Moscow in 2008 in conjunction with Monaco's Grimaldi Forum. A plaque was placed on the "Rodeo Drive Walk of Style" in recognition of Kelly's contributions to style and fashion in 2009. After her death, Grace's legacy as a fashion icon lived on. Modern designers such as Tommy Hilfiger and Zach Posen have cited her as a fashion inspiration. During her life, Grace was known for introducing the "fresh faced" look, one that involved bright skin and natural beauty with little makeup. Grace's fashion legacy was even commemorated at the Victoria and Albert Museum of London, where an exhibit titled, Grace Kelly: Style Icon paid tribute to the star's impact on the world of fashion. The exhibit included 50 of Grace's legendary ensembles. Style wise, Grace is remembered for her "college-girl" every day fashion, defined by her pulled together yet simple look. Community relations United States community relations "The Kellys, a clan that emigrated from poverty in Ireland, within two generations won fame in the worlds of business, politics, sports, and the arts; and which in despite of its humble beginnings, had now become one of the most influential families." With local and national leadership positions in acting, rowing, and politics, the East Falls Historical Society (EFHS) made an effort to commemorate the family and make their place in history even more visible in the Pennsylvania community. EFHS organized a dedication ceremony at McMichael Park to highlight the family's many accomplishments. The ceremony brought together about 60 of Kelly's family fans and local residents. A marker of the commemoration sits at the Kelly's former home located in 3901 Henry Ave. This marker highlights the family's most notable members, which include: Princess Grace of Monaco, her father John B. Kelly, Sr., and Kelly's brother John B. Kelly Jr. Some women in the event expressed their disappointment stating that Margaret Kelly, Grace's mother, should have been displayed in the marker as she was described as: "very active in the community and a driving force to keep the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania alive." Other attendees expressed their approval of the family describing the Kelly's as: "an iconic family," "an example of lives well lived," "a family who gave the neighborhood a legend of mythical proportions." In other efforts to acknowledge the Kelly family in the Philadelphia community, the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia worked with EFHS to organize Kelly focused commemoration events inside the community. These events included a Kelly family bus tour, which took residents to places the Kelly family frequented. They also hosted a screening of one of Grace's movie "To Catch a Thief," in the Philadelphia University. The Kellys' home in Philadelphia, a 15-room mansion in East Fall build by Kelly's father and which has an ample backyard with a tennis court, is currently occupied by the Barmont family since 1973. Some community members have shown a strong desire to transform the house into a museum were tourists could visit the site and remember the family. However, residents believe that it would be hard to find funding for the project and to keep it alive throughout the years." Other community members believe the house should stay residential but they have also shown concern because the house seems to be deteriorating as some dead animals were found inside the house while the current 80 year old owner resided the place. International community relations A rose garden in Monaco's Fontvieille district is dedicated to the memory of Princess Grace. It was opened in 1984 by Prince Rainier. Grace is commemorated in a statue by Kees Verkade in the garden, which features 4,000 roses. In 2003, the Henley Royal Regatta renamed the Women's Quadruple Sculls the "Princess Grace Challenge Cup". Kelly was invited to present the prizes at the Henley Royal Regatta in 1981, as a peace offering by the Henley Stewards to put a conflict between the Kelly family and Stewards to rest. Prince Albert presented the prizes at the Henley Royal Regatta in 2004. Popular cultural references ;Movies & TV *In 1983, an American television film called "Grace Kelly" focused on the early life of the princess was presented featuring Cheryl Ladd as Grace and and Ian McShane as Prince Rainier. *In 2014, Nicole Kidman played the role of Kelly in the biography film "Grace of Monaco" that was directed by Olivier Dahan. There were mixed reviews on the film. Many people, including Grace's family, felt the film was overly dramatic, had historical errors, and had little depth. ;Music *In 2007, Mika, a Lebanese-British songwriter, wrote a song called "Grace Kelly". The song was released by Universal Music and topped the 2007 UK Singles Chart. *Kelly was also referenced in the following songs: "Grace Kelly" by Die Ärzte, "Grace Kelly Blues" by Eels (Mark Everett), and "Grace Kelly with Wings" by Piebald. ;Books *"High Society: The Life of Grace Kelly" by Donald Spoto *"Grace Kelly: The Secret Life of a Princess" by James Spada *"Grace Kelly of Monaco: The Inspiring Story of How an American Film Star Became a Princess" by Jennifer Warner *"What Would Grace Do?" by Gina McKinnon *"The Grace Kelly Years" by Frederic Mitterrand *"Grace Kelly Style" by Kristina H. Haugland *"Grace Kelly: A Life in Pictures" by Pierre-Henri Verlhac *"Princess of Monaco: The Story of Grace Kelly" by Gan Gaither :Other *In 1993, Kelly appeared on a U.S. postage stamp, released in conjunction with a Monaco postage stamp featuring Kelly on the same day. *On July 1, 2007, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of her death, €2 commemorative coins were issued with the "national" side bearing the image of Princess Grace. Also, in Monaco at the Grimaldi Forum and in the United States at Sotheby's, a large Princess Grace exhibition, "Grace, Princess of Monaco: A Tribute to the Life and Legacy of Grace Kelly", coordinated by the Princely Family, celebrated her life and her contribution to the arts through her Foundation. Titles, Styles, Honours & Arms Honors * – Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Saint-Charles. * – Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre. * Kingdom of Greece – Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Beneficence (13/05/1962). * – Commemorative Medal of the 2500th Anniversary of the founding of the Persian Empire (14/10/1971). * : Dame Grand Cross pro Merito Melitensi – civilian special class. References External links *Grace Kelly on IMDb *Grace Kelly at TriviaTribute.com * Category:1929 births Category:1982 deaths Category:20th-century American actresses Category:American film actresses Category:American people of German descent Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American Roman Catholics Category:American television actresses Category:Burials at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Monaco Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of Beneficence (Greece) Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint-Charles Category:Recipients of the Order pro merito Melitensi Category:House of Grimaldi Category:Kelly family Category:Knights and Dames Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre Category:Naturalized citizens of Monaco Category:Princesses of Monaco